A U.S. shipping executive has warned that proposed port fees could force American carriers serving the Caribbean out of business.

Testifying before trade officials, Tropical Shipping’s Martin argued that the fees would increase costs significantly, undermining American competitiveness. He urged exemptions for U.S.-owned operators and suggested tariffs apply only to future vessels built in China, not those already in service.

Tropical Shipping, which operates from Florida’s Port of Palm Beach, delivers about half of the Caribbean’s imported goods, including food, medicine, and hurricane relief supplies. Martin warned that higher freight rates could push Caribbean buyers to source goods from non-U.S. markets at greater expense.